The Ties That Bind Us: (The Ties Duet Part One)

by Danda K.

  We hit the peak, and Roger stops the ride, leaving us there to enjoy the view for a bit.

  She loosens up as we watch the world below us; some people walking on the boardwalk, some pointing up to the ride, confused. We laugh as a dog runs circles around its owner, trapping him in the long leash and knocking him over.

  “Tell me something I don’t know about you, baby.”

  “Again with this, huh? I’m pretty sure you know just about everything at this point.” She smiles wholeheartedly and leans her head on my shoulder, pulling some lint off the blanket by her legs.

  Looking at her through the corner of my eye, I tell her honestly, “For some reason, I highly doubt that.”

  She seems to be thinking about it, the cold, red tip of her nose scrunched up in concentration.

  She gives a sly smile. “Well, there’s this cute guy I met last week at work--” Her grin spreads across her face now.

  “This story better end with, and I punched him in the face. Or else we’re gonna have some problems.”

  She laughs, and I reach for her sides again to tickle her. She squirms and kicks her feet, causing the small passenger car to rock back and forth violently.

  She blurts out through laughter, “Oh my God! We’re gonna die!”

  “You better give me something, Nyx, or this is how we’ll spend the rest of this little ride.”

  “Okay! Okay! Fine!”

  I release her sides as she tries to catch her breath, wiping away the tears that began to fall down her face from laughter.

  Once she calms down, she turns her head to look at me. ”I bet you didn’t know that I felt something for you the very first time I saw you.” She looks down and fiddles more with the blanket. “In fact, you remember the week after our encounter at the beach?” She looks at me much more seriously now. “I couldn’t get you out of my head. Although I wouldn’t have admitted it then, you stuck with me instantly. Nobody else has ever done that. Not even Camilla.” She turns back and adjusts her arms under the blanket.

  I reach over to kiss her head and, before I can respond, the ride begins to move again.

  When we reach the bottom, Roger is waiting with a set of keys in his hand. We follow him through the park and to an exit, heading towards our final destination for the night.

  As the large, old shed comes into view, I actually begin to feel nervous.

  What if she hates this? What if she refuses, and this was all for nothing? I try to swallow my doubt and trust my girl will come through for me. She needs to come through for me.

  Not only for me but because what’s inside her is so fucking beautiful. Even if she doesn’t know it. I’ve waited so long for this opportunity, and it wasn’t easy. This is the one part she still refuses to let me see.

  But tonight, I hope that changes.

  Cameron

  I have no idea where we’re going now. We seem to be heading along the back end of the park, closer to the beach. Roger leads us through a small gate that exits the main area and down steps for the beach. This area seems to be cut off to the public.

  There are gates along each side of the private beach that have KEEP OUT signs all over. I look over to Jax, and he gives me a reassuring smile.

  “Alright, you guys are on your own now. The exit is right behind the shed. It’ll take you right onto the street again. It locks automatically, so make sure you have all of your belongings before you head out.” He gives a couple of slaps to Jaxon’s back and waves at me before he heads back to the steps.

  Once he’s out of view, I look up at Jaxon, confused. “Uh, what’s going on now?” He just smiles at me, looking a bit nervous himself.

  That makes me even more nervous because Jaxon’s never nervous.

  “They used this shed to hold smaller equipment for the park.” He points to the red wooden structure.

  It’s a big shed, almost the size of a small guesthouse. There are brown sliding barn doors on the front with two black planks creating an X on each sliding door. It seems totally out of place for a beach, more like it should be on a farm instead.

  “Ok?” My eyebrows nearly touch each other.

  “They don’t use it anymore, so it’s been empty for years.” He continues, “Roger let me borrow it for tonight.” He grips the handle and pulls the door open for me to enter. Suddenly I notice little flickers of light appear the more he slides the door open.

  I notice the open space is empty on the bottom, but there are a ton of beautiful Mason jars hanging in rows from the ceiling. Inside the jars are a bunch of tangled lights illuminating the glass.

  Once Jaxon slides the doors closed, the light is bright enough for me to see the high ceiling but leaves the room dark enough that I can’t see the entire space clearly. It’s so beautiful. I reach my hand out in front of me and walk around. I feel the wall- the brown wood is sturdy but chipped, and there’s a large beam going horizontally across it.

  “What’s this about Jaxon?” I ask him, now very curious.

  He takes my hand and walks me over to the other end of the shed. He turns on his flashlight and takes a lighter to light a few candles around some box crates.

  I can see now there’s a large plush blanket laid across the floor, surrounded by those same crates, some with red checkered blankets thrown over them. There are colorful throw pillows all over to make it more comfortable and inviting, and a small, brown picnic basket is placed in the middle of the blanket.

  We sit down, and he begins to unpack the contents of the basket. He removes some paper plates, cheese, wine, crackers, and meats before pulling out two wine glasses and setting them next to us.

  Jaxon pours us each a glass of wine and begins to open up the food.

  “This is absolutely amazing.” I look around this gorgeous setup, in awe of how much thought he put into this.

  He throws a piece of salami into his mouth, followed by a piece of cheese.

  “Yeah, it took a while to clean this place enough to be able to set it up.”

  “When the hell did you manage to do all of this?”

  “Remember those random nights throughout the last month I said I was working late?” He pauses and pops more cheese in his mouth. “Well, this was me working late,” he shrugs nonchalantly.

  “This is amazing Jaxon, don’t be so modest!” I hit him in the shoulder.

  He makes it as if I’m the one who’s always downplaying my success, but he can be just as bad about it when he wants to be. “This whole night has been absolutely amazing.”

  My heart swells with emotion. How has this man managed to break through the stone wall around my heart? I think Jaxon was made for me. There’s nobody else in the world who could ever slip past my defenses like he has.

  “I’m not completely selfless, though,” he admits as I begin to make myself a plate.

  I respond, “Oh?” A little thrown off by his statement.

  He smiles and looks down at the floor. ”Let’s just say this wasn’t only for your benefit.”

  Confused by his comment, I continue to eat and drink my wine, taking in the cozy little nook we’re in. We talk a bit more about people at work and our plans for the holidays.

  Which I’ve never celebrated before.

  According to Jaxon, we’ll be celebrating them together, and I don’t seem to have a choice in the matter. Which, I won’t admit, but I am kind of excited about.

  Jaxon clears his throat, on edge, as he adjusts the neckline of his shirt. Great. I really hope I’m not gonna turn around to a string quartet or a damn mariachi band at this point.

  “You remember the talk we had in Dumbo, right?” he asks, and I swallow hard from my sudden nerves.

  “Yeah, of course, I remember.” My stomach begins to churn, and I feel as though I’m suddenly sweating.

  “Well, it’s trust-fall time, Nyx.”

  My eyes widen. What the hell does he want me to do? He stands up and walks back towards the front of the shed where I can no longer see him, and I feel st
eady heat crawling up my neck to my cheeks.

  “Where are you going?!” I choke out, panicking. I start to get up when I don’t hear him respond, but his voice stops me.

  “Remember the day at the pizzeria? I asked you what I’d have to do for you to sing for me.”

  I nod but answer him with words, too. ”Yes, I remember.”

  My body is actively shaking now. He isn’t about to ask me what I think he is…

  “You told me that for you to sing for me, I’d have to disappear.” The light from his phone illuminates his face.

  Then the light goes off, returning him to the dark. “Well, this is me...disappearing.”

  Before I can say anything back, he continues speaking. “I never wanted to push you to show me this side of you. Because I can’t imagine how vulnerable you would feel opening yourself up to that type of raw emotion. Especially in front of me.” He’s silent for a few seconds. “But I don’t want you to hide from me anymore, Nyx. Sometimes I hear you humming along to your songs in the shower, but never the words. I want to be the first person to hear you sing. I want that to be for me. You have so much passion for music, and I want to be a part of it. I already know you’ll sound amazing, but I want to be able to tell the world that I’ve had the privilege of knowing what your soul sounds like from the inside.”

  I take in his words. And I want to argue, but he’s right.

  To allow someone to hear your voice like that is like giving them a glimpse into your soul. I was always afraid of what others would find if they were given a chance.

  I really want to refuse him, but how can I? He’s gone above and beyond for me tonight, just like he does every single day we’re together. Jaxon’s the type of guy most girls take for granted because they prefer dominance over tenderness.

  But not me. I would never want Jaxon to change an iota of who he is. He’s perfect, and I’m pretty sure the feelings he ignites inside me could mean I’m in love with him.

  For the past few weeks, it’s felt as though my heart leaves with him wherever he goes. Every fear I have, Jaxon faces it with me head-on. Just like this one.

  I decide to let the chips fall. If this is what he wants for his trust-fall, this is what he’ll get. We made promises to each other that night- no matter what we asked of each other, we would do it. I have to keep this promise.

  I take a deep breath to mentally prepare myself.

  Standing up, I straighten my back. “Bring me your phone.”

  He walks towards me with a stool in his hand, places it down in front of the blanket and candlelight, and gives me his phone. I go to the search engine and type in the only song I feel comfortable singing for him right now.

  It’s the song I’ve dedicated to him from the very beginning. Finding the instrumental version, I hand the phone back to him and proceed to climb onto the stool. “Don’t press play until I tell you to.”

  I take a few shaky breaths and try to collect myself. After a few minutes of silence from both of us, I’m ready.

  I nod my head, and he walks back over to his dark corner to await my instruction. I adjust my hair and place it evenly on both sides of my shoulders. Giving my body a quick shake to relieve the tension in my shoulders, I put on my bravest face.

  “Press play.”

  Twenty-eight

  Jaxon

  “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon begins to play, but it’s an acoustic version. The sounds from the strings of the guitar fill the air around us. I can’t hear anything but the plucking of the instrument and Cameron’s inhale of breath as she prepares to face her biggest insecurity head-on.

  After a few beats, I notice she hasn’t begun to sing. Although I’m not sure when the first verse begins in this song, I’m worried she changed her mind. Just as I go to press pause on the song, I hear her voice join the music. She’s humming along with the intro, and I hold my breath for the words to follow.

  Her voice is gentle and low when the first verse hits, and she sings about looking down at things she sees. After the first chorus, she sings on a higher note, adding more strength to her voice, and I almost forget to breathe.

  Her voice is smooth with a slight rasp. The sight of her sitting there, eyes closed, hands gripping the chair between her legs, and illuminated in the light around her, has me desperate to get closer to her and just make sure she’s real.

  Her eyes close as she carries the tune with the lyrics. I love watching her lips move and form the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. I’m lost in her. I was expecting her to be good, but I’m in complete awe of the natural talent she has inside her.

  By the end of the song, her nerves have all but disappeared. The words flow out of her effortlessly. The higher-pitched notes at the end send goosebumps over my arms, and I’m unable to move.

  It isn’t until the song is over and she clears her throat that I can actually form any words.

  I dart over to where she’s sitting, eager to feel her. “My God, baby.”

  Cameron looks down, embarrassed, not realizing what she just did to me.

  I pick up her chin. “Don’t you dare look down. Never again, baby. Not after that.”

  She looks up at me with a single tear running down her cheek, so I wipe it away with my thumb. I take her face in my hands, looking in her eyes. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.

  “I’m in love with you, Nyx.”

  I’ve known this for a while now. I just wasn’t sure when or how to tell her. But after she just bled her heart out for me, it’s clear there’s no better time than the present. Cameron’s become a part of me, and we’re bound together so tightly that I no longer know where she ends and I begin.

  Every broken piece of her fits perfectly in the empty parts of my soul. I’d lay down my life for this girl without hesitation, and I want nothing more than for her to know she has every piece of my heart. To fill or break, it’s all hers.

  She stares at me and, eyes blinking, takes a shaky breath. I don’t need her to say it back. Especially if she isn’t ready.

  When her lips press against mine, I’m caught off guard.

  She parts her mouth, and I enter without hesitation. Cameron wraps her legs around me, pulling me into her on the chair. Her hands squeeze my back, and I feel the heat rising between us.

  She pulls away and climbs down off the chair, taking my hand. I follow her towards the blanket. She moves the tray of food and wine to the side and sits down, patting the spot next to her.

  I oblige and scoot right beside her.

  Cameron climbs on top of me, straddling my waist and kissing me again. Our mouths part briefly, and I watch as the flames from the candles dance across her face.

  Eyeing her long, dark hair, I twist it around my fingers gently, bringing it to my nose as I inhale my favorite scent. Her.

  “Nobody’s ever told me they loved me before.” She gathers her hair to one side and kisses the bottom of my cheek, then corrects herself. “Not like that.” Leaning back, she takes my hands in hers, intertwining our fingers. “I was falling for you from the very second I saw you behind that counter, Jaxon. I had no choice.” Leaning in to kiss the other side of my face gently, she whispers, ”I never thought I would ever have the ability to love someone the way normal people do.”

  Her eyes lock with mine. “And I was right. Because I don’t love you like normal people do. Being with you has become as natural as breathing for me, Jaxon. I don’t know if what I feel for you in my heart is even considered love,” she shrugs. “Honestly, love seems too simple for what happens when two souls become one entity. It’s spiritual. I was asleep and cold for so many years until you came along and brought me home. There’s no real me without you.”

  She wipes the tears from her eyes. “You’ve completely consumed every dark space inside me and given them light. There are no words to categorize that. So, if what I feel for you isn’t love? Then love isn’t the endgame I want for us. I’m aiming higher than that. And this already
feels better than what I imagined love ever could.”

  Cam kisses me with more passion than I’ve ever felt from her. I love this girl so much. I think it would kill me if she ever left.

  I wrap my arms around her as she bites my bottom lip hard, and I feel the slightest metallic taste of blood. I groan into her mouth as she slowly grinds against my hips. Cameron brings her tongue to my ear, licking the tip of my ear lobe. My dick’s already swollen, and my pants are about to burst at the seams.

  She climbs off me and sits at my side. Her eyes are lust-filled, crazed, and staring right into me.

  For some reason, I’m nervous right now.

  She lifts her sweater over her head, and her camisole follows right after. My eyes widen at the sight of her in a beautiful white lace bra. She climbs back on top of me, pulls my leather jacket down my arms, and attempts to open up my pants between us.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, baby. What’re you doing?” This was not my intention for the night. I don’t want her thinking I had some premeditated plan to have sex with her.

  Cameron places her pointer finger on my lips to shush me, then kisses me again. My heart’s beating out of my fucking chest now.

  You’re not the virgin here, asshole. What the hell is your problem?

  I kiss her back because, my God, the way she looks in that white lace bra and black leather leggings gets me more excited than a kid on Christmas. But it’s not Christmas, and I try my hardest to fight the urge to take this further.

  I don’t want her to make any rash decisions being caught up in the moment.

  “Baby, you look so fucking hot right now. But--” I can’t finish that statement because she grabs my dick through my pants and rubs it.